we were all stunned of course. That was in May. And Dasah is due mid November. It has been a different journey. We continue in the celebration mode for our Dasah, but in new ways. One of the things Lindsey mentioned she would love to have happen early in her pregnancy, was a Prayer Shower. I tucked that idea away, and thought about it quite often. I wasn't sure what that looked like, but I knew that I had to have one for Lindsey, Kevin and Dasah. Now, you have probably already seen Facebook posts, and Lindsey's blog www.vaporandmist.wordpress.com that show pictures of the Prayer Shower. So the purpose of this blog post is to give anyone searching the "blogosphere" like I did, for "prayer shower, " some ideas!
What is a Prayer Shower? A prayer shower is a time to honor someone by coming along side as they journey through any chapter of their life, that needs prayer. The theme of our prayer shower was, "His Banner over Lindsey, Dasah and Kevin is Love." This is a Scripture passage taken from Song of Solomon 2:4. So the invitations included a pennant banner piece that guests could write a Scripture passage, a prayer, or a thought for Lindsey and Kevin and Dasah, and bring to the shower, or send back if they couldn't come. The pennants were then hung to create the "banner of love." We had a cute plate with the words "Pin Your Prayers" written on it, and a bowl of little clothes pins to hang the pennants as friends arrived.
The invitation with a pennant enclosed
As guests arrived, we hung the pennants to create the banner!
I made a larger banner to carry out theme: His Banner Over Lindsey, Dasah and Kevin is Love.
Yummy sugar cookies in the shape of flowers, because Dasah's name comes from the myrtle tree, which produces a sweet smelling flower!
A make your own Italian soda station and lovely infused water!
I really enjoyed the Italian sodas!
Lindsey, Kevin and Dasah...the honored guests!
Oh so yummy raspberry cake!
A few colorful flowers, and candles of course!
So after friends mingled and talked with Kevin and Lindsey, we had a very special time of worship and prayer. Our worship leader, Carl Johnson, came with his guitar, and his sweet wife Amy also led, as we sang praise songs, and spent about 45 minutes praying for Lindsey and Kevin and Dasah. I passed out Scripture passages on cards, for anyone to just read out loud, and I also had a short list of specific things we could pray for Lindsey and Kevin and Dasah.
Please use this list too, to pray for Lindsey, Kevin and Dasah!
As I was thinking about having this prayer shower, I felt fearful and unsure. Would anyone come? Would they step into our story? Would they come to pray? I moved forward in faith and two very special friends, Lin and Nancy began helping me plan and create what became a very wonderful and memorable evening.
The Being Brave Part
How do you come along side someone who is in the midst of a very hard journey? Not only a hard journey, but come along side a second time within a year. I think it takes being brave. Lindsey and Kevin, Mike and I, and our family have some brave friends. These friends enter into our lives, even though they don't know what to say, or what to do. They come along side as they send a card or a note. They come along side when they come to a Prayer Shower, even when they aren't quite sure what that looks like! They come along side quietly with their prayers. They come along side just to hang out, or suggest going to a movie, or out to dinner.
In the middle, my sweet partners in planning and yummy treat making: Lin Newman and Nancy Ludwick
The brave men!
Our family and I know Kevin and Lindsey as well, are so touched and encouraged by those who have stepped into our journey. We realize how hard it is to know what to say, because we can't even understand this story. We know others may have questions and thoughts and wonder what celebrating another babies life with another fatal diagnosis really means. It is uncomfortable territory to navigate not only once, but twice. I have a friend, my roommate from college, and she expressed her fear about sending a card or a gift or a link to a song or a message, but I told her she is listening to the Holy Spirit when she is prompted to send these sweet encouragements, because they always come at the right time and minister to my heart. She is learning and I am learning from her, that fear hinders the Holy Spirit from using us to bless others.
I recently came across the following thoughts by Ann Voskamp. She writes about being brave.
"Lord, nobody knows how hard we're trying to be brave, to show up when its easier to give up, to go do hard and holy things when it'd be easier to go do happy things, to not quit when we don't know how to keep going on.
And you lean close and breathe warm courage into our exhausted places. "Just call to me. I guarantee I will answer you. I will make you strong and brave." ( Psalm 138:3)
Be brave. Hold on to your Light to hold back the flood of dark.
Be brave. Your bravery wins a thousand battles you can't see because your bravery strengthens a thousand others to win their battles too.
Be brave, and do not pray for the hard to go away. But pray for a bravery "bigger than the hard to come."
Be brave. There are angels closer than you know. And all the Brave and Courageous and the Never-Give-Uppers who cling to the Bravest One who loved us to death and saved us back to the realist and forever life...we all believed angels were close, said amen."
The bravest ones I know right now are my daughter Lindsey and her wonderful husband, Kevin.
But I am thankful for their brave friends and our brave friends who have stepped into our story with love, and however the Lord leads them just to be there during these days when we truly are upheld by their strong support and prayers.
The reason for Lindsey and Kevin's visit was to speak to the Cedarville University student body at their Chapel service Sept. 11th. You can listen to her message on, "Surrender and the Sanctity of Life," by going to the link below.
Her message was received with tears and a wonderful ovation, and many students waiting in line to talk.
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